Case Open
Case Summary + Witnesses:
(Before you say anything, no you do not need to watch the first season to appreciate this one)
The story of WA2 focuses on the life of three students in their final year of high school. We have Haruki Kitahara, the male lead who is overly helpful when it comes to his friends (which is his greatest asset as well as greatest fault). We have Setsuna Ogiso, the shy and quite popular girl who learns to come out of her shell. And finally we have Kazusa Touma, the quite musical genius who never had anyone look after her before.
It is the relationship between these three that drives the story of WA2, coming together as the light music club in order to perform before their graduation. Music will be played, strong bonds will be formed, and friendships will be tested. However, even without a nice boat in sight, this series is far from a fluffy one.
Analysis:
WA2 is a story that sticks very close to your standard music anime formula and because of this, a good portion of the story was predictable. However, through careful pacing and well executed flashbacks, WA2 knows when to show us what needs to be shown and did an excellent job of building tension without treading to deeply into melodramatic territory.
The characters themselves might appear to be nothing more then the standard troupes that we have seen before in the past, but it was their interactions that lead to them to be so interesting. Throughout the story you feel how close the three were becoming whether it was out of respect or admiration. The chemistry and dynamics felt real which of course was essential in making such a love triangle work as the closer they becoming, the harder it was to maintain their friendship. There was no "bad guy" between them, no single character that caused problems for others. Rather the real enemy in the story was the love they all harbored. By the end of the story, choices needed to be made and if you're expecting a happy ending then you will be disappointed. For when it come to love and friendship, sometimes it's impossible to walk away completely intact.
Presentation:
Being produced by studio satellite, WA2 features very fluid and decently polished animation. This especially becomes apparent during the concert scenes which were some of the more pleasurable moments to remember. Character designs and backgrounds stick very close to the visual novel with my only complaint being that Haruki bears a disturbingly strong resemblance to that A-hole from school days. But I digress.
Saying that the series aesthetics just get the job done are an understatement to say the least as even the pallet stuck very close to the shows namesake. Soft colors were used with certain sheens and well placed lighting allowed everything to mesh together well without it looking bland or plain. The series gave off a very gentle, yet bittersweet atmosphere which reflected the seasons that were being portrayed to an exceptional degree.
But of course, being a music anime as well as a romance, WA2 delivers when it needs too with splendid combinations of vocals, piano and guitar that will hit you right in the Kokoro. While much of the music was taken from the original visual novel, it was still cleverly executed without sounding generic or overwhelming.
Closing Statements:
Overall, WA2 is a very emotional romance that will make you feel attached with its visuals, aesthetic and music while at the same time slowly reach within your chest, grab that blood pumping organ that you thought was incapable of feeling, and tug on it nice and slowly. You ever come across one of those shows that you think isn't going to be all that great but then becomes one of the best that season? No? Then maybe you should give this a try. Just tread with caution because, believe me, just like real love, it isn't always sunshine and rainbows.
